Dental repair

    A 55 year old male patient came to our clinic requesting the restoration of his worn front teeth. The clinical examination diagnosed possible gastrooesophageal reflux disease (GERD) as a cause of tooth erosion due to exposure to HCL acid regurgitated by the stomach. A gastrointestinal examination established the diagnosis of gastro-oesophageal reflux disease.

    Gastro-oesophageal reflux can cause erosion of the palatal surfaces of the anterior teeth and reduce the amount of cusps. The result of the aforementioned was to reduce the vertical dimension of the face, which the patient demonstrated, as shown by the bilateral angular cheilitis.
    Moreover, the total absence of teeth in the smile was the main feature in a face with an unsightly appearance.

    • A new, increased vertical dimension was decided to be evaluated using an intraoral splint.
    • A cephalometric analysis revealed that the lower jaw was forward in relation to the upper jaw.
    • Diagnostic wax-up took place with labial incination of the upper teeth to the same extent as when the patient was 25 years old.
    • Cast dowel and core restorations were carried out.

    The end result satisfied the patient.

    The canine protected occlusion in eccentric movements suggests a harmonious stomatognathic system.

    Read the report on gastroesophageal reflux disease in the book by M. Tzivra “Clinical examination of the digestive system”: